Recognizing the significant impact unstable housing has on youth behavioral health, the Study & Advancement of Justice Effectiveness (SAJE) Center recently completed a study and plan for reducing housing instability among youth in contact with the justice system. Led by Sarah Walker, PhD, Research Associate Professor and Co-Director of SAJE, this is the first study to document the prevalence of housing instability in a juvenile court population. The project, funded by the Raikes Foundation, Block-Levitt Foundation and the Office of Youth Homelessness Prevention and Protection, is moving into a second stage of implementation and testing in five counties in Washington State.

The study found that nearly 40% of all youth referred to juvenile courts are at risk of homelessness, making the courts an important site for housing intervention services. The plan, developed with community workgroups from Snohomish County and Kitsap County, proposes an early identification, cross-systems referral and stepped care model for prevention and housing intervention. The service model is expected to have secondary benefits for improving behavioral health and justice outcomes.

In addition to Dr. Walker, department members involved in the project include Esteban Valencia (research analyst), Kristin Vick, MPA (research coordinator), and Asia Bishop, MSW (graduate research assistant). SAJE supports the fundamental transformation of juvenile justice and works in close partnership with communities, youth and families, state administrators, legislators and national funders. The interdisciplinary center is currently signing an official MOU with the State Administrative Office of the Courts and Washington State University.